The Buck Stops Here Roundtable #7: 2016-17 Predictions

What will the Bucks record be by the end of the 2016-17 season and how will they have arrived at that point? Will the team look closer or further away from their ultimate goals?

Rohan: My final prediction for the Bucks record this season in 40-42. This may seem a little high considering that their leading scorer in Khris Middleton is out most/all of the season, but I’m banking on Giannis and Jabari building on the second half of last season. Also, the addition of Matthew Dellavedova should provide the guard play the Bucks were lacking last year with Michael Carter-Williams.

It’s hard to say if this season will be a success or not because of the Middleton injury. Khris is a large part of the Bucks future, which means that the Bucks can’t completely gauge how close they are to becoming a championship contender. However, the organization can see how far Giannis and Jabari are along in their respective developments.

Jordan: Ah, I’ve been dreading this but the time has come. As the summer was going on, I was becoming more optimistic about the Bucks’ chances this season and even thought they could vie for a playoff spot with the necessary improvements and a couple of breaks heading their way.

Of course, the Middleton injury has changed all that for pretty much everyone, including myself and it’s reshaped the team’s expectations heading into the year.. That’s why I’m going with 36-46 for my record prediction.

I partially don’t want to feel the sting of building up expectations only to see them crumble like we all did last year as soon as the season began and there’s ways for the Bucks to exceed the current expectations that surround them right now (i.e. Giannis and Jabari reaching near All-Star levels or a Monroe trade going down). But ultimately, losing your most indispensable player for least a good chunk of the year like the Bucks did with Middleton is so much to overcome that it changes what defines this year as successful or not, at least to me anyways.

Lukas: As much as I want to be optimistic here, I don’t see the Bucks having a tremendously good season. We did a lot of good things in the offseason, but losing Middleton is just so huge for the entire roster. I see this year as just another opportunity for the team to let our young players succeed. Although it might not help us win games all the time, I want to see Thon Maker get plenty of chances to prove himself on the floor. I think there is no better way to learn than in-game experience, and if he is to be a major part of our future, he should get those opportunities sooner rather than later.

With that, I don’t see us making any massive improvements from last season. There should be exciting moments in every game, but consistency is key in the NBA, and I don’t think the team is there quite yet. After a 33-win season last year, I think that we finish with a 35-47 record.

With the team leaning heavily on Giannis and Jabari all season, we should become more secure in our feelings on what the team could be in the next few years.

Tom: Up until Khris Middleton’s injury, I thought the Bucks would be a few games above .500. And though the loss of Middleton is huge for the Bucks, I am hopeful that we will see players step up to fill the offensive void.(I am looking at you, Jabari Parker) Perhaps I am looking at the upcoming season through green and cream colored glasses, but I think the Bucks are going to break even this year. 41-41, and hopefully good enough for a playoff spot.

Adam: I hit rock bottom in terms of hopes for the team after the Middleton injury, but cumulatively I’ve really liked how the moves since have plugged holes in the roster.

I believe in this team (I know, famous last words) and I think they’ll be competitive enough to get by, as long as they don’t have to deal with any more major injuries. I have the Bucks at 40-42. That could see them just miss the playoffs, but it’ll be good enough to put them in the hunt and give them meaningful games down the stretch as they continue to improve.

Tim: 36-46.

Yep. The Khris Middleton injury hurts, a lot. The Bucks should have been expected to flirt with a .500 record and contend for one of the final playoff spots in the East. Instead, we’re in for another year of ‘development’. Giannis and Jabari will have plenty of opportunity with the ball in their hands and the addition of Dellavedova and Teletovic ought to make Milwaukee a better team than last year, but ultimately fall short of the playoffs yet again.